Beyond a Spot on the Dial
Keywords:
college radio, regulatory arbitrage, community media, neoliberalism, community, public engagement
Abstract
This project involves study of existing over-the-air stations, as well as a number of individuals and groups which have leveraged alternative channels for distribution, as either supplements or replacements for such an outlet. Such choices are, in one sense, not new. Stations have used cable channels, or leased airtime from licensed outlets, for decades. The use now, however, of web-based distribution and digital sideband channels, is significant due to the distinctive economics and reach of such outlets, in comparison to regular broadcast solutions.
This study examines the decision-making employed by stations in choosing to employ such alternative distribution mechanisms, identifying the constraints under which stations operate, and the extent to which these choices function as a form of regulatory arbitrage. I analyze the impacts of such decisions, on access, conformity with station mission, cost, and the nature of the resulting outlet. The paper intersects with broader conversations about how community media practitioners negotiate regulatory, technological, and other constraints, and the impact of such responses.
References
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Dunbar-Hester, C. (2014). Low power to the people: Pirates, protest, and politics in FM radio activism. MIT Press.
Fairchild, C. (2001). Community radio and public culture : being an examination of media access and equity in the nations of North America. Hampton Press.
Fauteaux, B. (2015). Music in range: The culture of Canadian campus radio. Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press. https://books.google.com/books?&id=Ob0eDQAAQBAJ
Fong-Torres, B. (2018, July 19). Radio Waves: New KXSF tries to resurrect pioneer KUSF. San Francisco Chronicle. https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/radiowaves/article/Radio-Waves-New-KXSF-tries-to-resurrect-pioneer-13088679.php
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Gantz, J. (2009, January 20). Mo’ Power for Low Power. In These Times.
Hardy, M. (2015, February 9). KTRU Returning to Houston Airwaves. Houstonia. https://www.houstoniamag.com/arts-and-culture/2015/02/ktru-is-returning-to-houston-airwaves-february-2015
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Janssen, M. (2012, June 11). Fine of $50,000 settle transfer of San Francisco’s KUSF. Current. https://current.org/2012/06/quick-takes-june-11-2012/
Kissack, C., Tardiff, J., Blaine, K., Dolblow, L., Carroll, P., & Shattuck, T. (2011, February 28). To the Editor: Our understanding of the potential WRVU sale. InsideVandy. https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644
Lasar, M. (2009, March 3). A comeback for Low Power FM radio? Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2009/03/a-comeback-for-low-power-fm-radio/
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Opel, A. (2004). Micro radio and the FCC: Media activism and the struggle over broadcast policy. Greenwood Publishing Group.
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Passwaters, A. (2015, 9 28). KTRU to return to FM radio on 96.1 with celebration concert. Rice University News & Media Relations. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from http://news.rice.edu/2015/09/28/ktru-to-return-to-fm-radio-on-96-1-with-celebration-concert/
Prometheus Radio Project. (n.d.). Local Community Radio Act. Prometheus Radio Project. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.prometheusradio.org/LCRA
Prometheus Radio Project. (2009, February 26). Conference Call.
Riismandel, P. (2002). Radio By and For the Public: the death and resurrection of low-power radio. In M. Hilmes & J. Loviglio (Eds.), Radio Reader: Essays in the Cultural History of Radio (pp. 423-450). Routledge.
Rookery Radio. (n.d.). Rookery Radio. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://www.rookeryradio.com
Ruggiero, G. (1999). Microradio & Democracy. Seven Stories Press.
Ruggiero, G. (2011). Microradio & Democracy: (Low) power to the people (Open Media Pamphlet Series ed., Vol. 10). Seven Stories Press.
Sakolsky, R., & Dunifer, S. (Eds.). (1998). Seizing the Airwaves: a free radio handbook. AK Press.
Sauls, S. J. (1995, April 14). College Radio. Annual Joint Meeting of Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED385885
Sless-Kitain, A. (2008, October 30). CHIRP looks beyond the radio dial. Time Out Chicago. http://www.chicagomedia.org/messages/2906.html
Smallwood, A. M. K., Yates, B. L., & Tripp, W. B. (2018, April 16). College Radio Takeovers and Shutdowns: An Analysis of News Coverage from 2006–2016. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 25(1), 5-22.
Tardiff, J. (2011, March 2). Response to Scott Cardone and Pete Wilson. Inside Vandy. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644#comment-10884
Tardiff, J. (2011, March 3). Response to Phil Lepanto. Inside Vandy. Retrieved February 15, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644#comment-10890
Trageser, S. (2016, June 2). Five years after WRVU left the airwaves, community radio is back and better than ever on WXNA. Nashville Scene.
Waits, J. (2010, September 23). Owner of Vanderbilt University Radio Station WRVU Explores Sale of FM License. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2010/09/23/owner-of-vanderbilt-university-radio-station-wrvu-explores-sale-of-fm-license/
Waits, J. (2011, February 17). WFMU and Amoeba Music to Host Multi-Station Live Remote Broadcast in Support of KUSF. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2011/02/17/wfmu-and-amoeba-music-to-host-multi-station-live-remote-broadcast-in-support-of-kusf/
Waits, J. (2011, March 15). College Radio is Revived at Youngstown State with Rookery Radio. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2011/03/15/college-radio-is-revived-at-youngstown-state-with-rookery-radio/
Waits, J. (2011, May 25). College Radio Station WXLV in Danger of Being Sold. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2011/05/25/college-radio-station-wxlv-in-danger-of-being-sold/
Waits, J. (2012, June 7). FCC Fines USF and CPRN $50K and Grants KUSF License to Classical Public Radio Network. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2012/06/07/fcc-fines-usf-and-cprn-50k-and-grants-kusf-license-to-classical-public-radio-network/
Waits, J. (2014, March 18). FCC Approves Assignment of Former WRVU License to Nashville Public Radio. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2014/03/18/fcc-approves-assignment-of-former-wrvu-license-to-nashville-public-radio/
WFMU. (n.d.). About WFMU. WFMU. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://wfmu.org/about/
Wilson, P. (2011, 3 3). "Treasure". Inside Vandy. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644#comment-10888
Zahner, M. (2011, 3 3). Offensive Content. Inside Vandy. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644#comment-10886
Careless, J. (2011, February). Can You Do a Lot With 0.1 Watt? Radio World. Retrieved February 15, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20111024145156/http://www.rwonline.com/article/can-you-do-a-lot-with-01-watt/22781
Carpenter, E. (2011). KUSF-FM Moves to Online Format: Classical KDFC to Move to 90.3 (News Release). University of San Francisco. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20121002054555/http://www.usfca.edu/Newsroom/San_Francisco_and_Campus/KUSF-FM_Moves_to_Online_Format/
CHIRP. (n.d.). About CHIRP Radio. CHIRP Radio. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://chirpradio.org/about
College Radio Foundation. (n.d.). College Radio Day. CollegeRadio.org. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://www.collegeradio.org/college-radio-day/
Coopman, T. M. (2000). High speed access: Micro radio, action, and activism on the Internet. American Communication Journal, 3(3).
Dunbar-Hester, C. (2014). Low power to the people: Pirates, protest, and politics in FM radio activism. MIT Press.
Fairchild, C. (2001). Community radio and public culture : being an examination of media access and equity in the nations of North America. Hampton Press.
Fauteaux, B. (2015). Music in range: The culture of Canadian campus radio. Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press. https://books.google.com/books?&id=Ob0eDQAAQBAJ
Fong-Torres, B. (2018, July 19). Radio Waves: New KXSF tries to resurrect pioneer KUSF. San Francisco Chronicle. https://www.sfchronicle.com/entertainment/radiowaves/article/Radio-Waves-New-KXSF-tries-to-resurrect-pioneer-13088679.php
Freedman, K., Lewis, K., Harmon, S., Yang, J., & Kidd, D. (2011, March 19). How to Save College Radio. SXSW.
Gantz, J. (2009, January 20). Mo’ Power for Low Power. In These Times.
Hardy, M. (2015, February 9). KTRU Returning to Houston Airwaves. Houstonia. https://www.houstoniamag.com/arts-and-culture/2015/02/ktru-is-returning-to-houston-airwaves-february-2015
Harmanci, R. (2011, February 7). This Week in KUSF. The Bay Citizen. https://web.archive.org/web/20110214130155/http://www.baycitizen.org/blogs/frequencies/week-kusf/
Howley, K. (2000). Radiocracy rulz! Microradio as electronic activism. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 3(2), 256-267.
Jam, B. (2011, February 13). Six KUSF DJs Featured on Feb 18th Amoeba San Francisco Instore to be Broadcast Live on A Dozen US Radio Stations. Amoeblog. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110220093832/http://www.amoeba.com/blog/2011/02/jamoeblog/six-kusf-djs-featured-on-feb-18th-amoeba-san-francisco-instore-to-be-broadcast-live-on-a-dozen-us-radio-stations.html
Janssen, M. (2012, June 11). Fine of $50,000 settle transfer of San Francisco’s KUSF. Current. https://current.org/2012/06/quick-takes-june-11-2012/
Kissack, C., Tardiff, J., Blaine, K., Dolblow, L., Carroll, P., & Shattuck, T. (2011, February 28). To the Editor: Our understanding of the potential WRVU sale. InsideVandy. https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644
Lasar, M. (2009, March 3). A comeback for Low Power FM radio? Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2009/03/a-comeback-for-low-power-fm-radio/
Maerz, J. (2011, February 18). Radio Dazed. The Bold Italic. https://web.archive.org/web/20110323235742/http://thebolditalic.com/JenniferMaerz/stories/734-radio-dazed-
McChesney, R. W. (2000). Rich media, poor democracy. The New Press.
Opel, A. (2004). Micro radio and the FCC: Media activism and the struggle over broadcast policy. Greenwood Publishing Group.
Oxenford, D. (2011, April 19). FCC Makes Clear It Doesnʼt Regulate Formats - Rejects Petition Against Sale of Noncommercial Station. Broadcast Law Blog. https://www.broadcastlawblog.com/2011/04/articles/fcc-makes-clear-it-doesnt-regulate-formats-rejects-petition-against-sale-of-noncommercial-station/
Passwaters, A. (2015, 9 28). KTRU to return to FM radio on 96.1 with celebration concert. Rice University News & Media Relations. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from http://news.rice.edu/2015/09/28/ktru-to-return-to-fm-radio-on-96-1-with-celebration-concert/
Prometheus Radio Project. (n.d.). Local Community Radio Act. Prometheus Radio Project. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://www.prometheusradio.org/LCRA
Prometheus Radio Project. (2009, February 26). Conference Call.
Riismandel, P. (2002). Radio By and For the Public: the death and resurrection of low-power radio. In M. Hilmes & J. Loviglio (Eds.), Radio Reader: Essays in the Cultural History of Radio (pp. 423-450). Routledge.
Rookery Radio. (n.d.). Rookery Radio. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://www.rookeryradio.com
Ruggiero, G. (1999). Microradio & Democracy. Seven Stories Press.
Ruggiero, G. (2011). Microradio & Democracy: (Low) power to the people (Open Media Pamphlet Series ed., Vol. 10). Seven Stories Press.
Sakolsky, R., & Dunifer, S. (Eds.). (1998). Seizing the Airwaves: a free radio handbook. AK Press.
Sauls, S. J. (1995, April 14). College Radio. Annual Joint Meeting of Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED385885
Sless-Kitain, A. (2008, October 30). CHIRP looks beyond the radio dial. Time Out Chicago. http://www.chicagomedia.org/messages/2906.html
Smallwood, A. M. K., Yates, B. L., & Tripp, W. B. (2018, April 16). College Radio Takeovers and Shutdowns: An Analysis of News Coverage from 2006–2016. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 25(1), 5-22.
Tardiff, J. (2011, March 2). Response to Scott Cardone and Pete Wilson. Inside Vandy. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644#comment-10884
Tardiff, J. (2011, March 3). Response to Phil Lepanto. Inside Vandy. Retrieved February 15, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644#comment-10890
Trageser, S. (2016, June 2). Five years after WRVU left the airwaves, community radio is back and better than ever on WXNA. Nashville Scene.
Waits, J. (2010, September 23). Owner of Vanderbilt University Radio Station WRVU Explores Sale of FM License. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2010/09/23/owner-of-vanderbilt-university-radio-station-wrvu-explores-sale-of-fm-license/
Waits, J. (2011, February 17). WFMU and Amoeba Music to Host Multi-Station Live Remote Broadcast in Support of KUSF. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2011/02/17/wfmu-and-amoeba-music-to-host-multi-station-live-remote-broadcast-in-support-of-kusf/
Waits, J. (2011, March 15). College Radio is Revived at Youngstown State with Rookery Radio. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2011/03/15/college-radio-is-revived-at-youngstown-state-with-rookery-radio/
Waits, J. (2011, May 25). College Radio Station WXLV in Danger of Being Sold. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2011/05/25/college-radio-station-wxlv-in-danger-of-being-sold/
Waits, J. (2012, June 7). FCC Fines USF and CPRN $50K and Grants KUSF License to Classical Public Radio Network. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2012/06/07/fcc-fines-usf-and-cprn-50k-and-grants-kusf-license-to-classical-public-radio-network/
Waits, J. (2014, March 18). FCC Approves Assignment of Former WRVU License to Nashville Public Radio. Radio Survivor. http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2014/03/18/fcc-approves-assignment-of-former-wrvu-license-to-nashville-public-radio/
WFMU. (n.d.). About WFMU. WFMU. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://wfmu.org/about/
Wilson, P. (2011, 3 3). "Treasure". Inside Vandy. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644#comment-10888
Zahner, M. (2011, 3 3). Offensive Content. Inside Vandy. Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://web.archive.org/web/20110830153920/http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/16644#comment-10886
Published
2021-06-17
How to Cite
Ó Baoill, A. (2021). Beyond a Spot on the Dial. Radiofonias – Journal of Audio Media Studies, 12(1), 26. Retrieved from https://periodicos.ufop.br/radiofonias/article/view/4774
Section
Dossiê “Rádios universitárias em tempos de ataques à ciência”
